How far in advance do you tell teachers?

[2Disneybuggs]

Is three weeks too soon to let DS'S teacher know he will be missing school? Just wondering when you let your school know.

 

[hygienejean]

Hey we are going at the same time! I am going to tell my son's teacher this coming week. I'll give her another head's up before we go. Can't wait!!!!

 

[DiznEeyore]

We are also leaving in about 3 weeks. I told all of my ds' teachers last Tuesday at Parents' Night.

 

[turnlisa]

I guess I am in the minority. We leave on November 5th and I am telling my DS's teachers this week. It gives them time to think about what they want to send with him and also time to plan that far ahead. Last year, the teacher sent a journal along with homework with no problem. At our school, it is against school policy to do this so I was very appreciative.

 

[Stimpy]

We told DS's teacher on the 3rd day of school for our December trip. We had a parent-teacher conference anyway, all the students did, and asked her what she thought about taking kids out of school. It is totally unacceptable by our district but we're doing it and wanted to let her know that we are. She basically said she can't give us any work beforehand and the absences will be marked as "unexcused". (How the district can do that is beyond me but they can.) But I intend on reminding her about 2-3 weeks beforehand anyway.

 

[newholiday]

Last Mon at Meet the Teacher I told 2 of his 3 main teachers that he will be out the first wk of Oct.
I just wrote out 3 letters today which DS will give his teachers on Mon.
We leave 10 school day later.

 

[Laurabearz]

I will send a note with our kids Monday for our trip in October.

 

[Mom to Jordan]

We always go Dec.- jan so I always let the teachers know about it at the first conference in October. I send a letter 2-3 weeks ahead of time to remind them. Last year in fifth grade only one teacher gave him any work and it was ONE paper. The only year that he had very much at all was 3rd and they send it home a week before we went. Almost all was finished before we went. We have found that doing homework AT WDW does not work well for us. The trip down and back works well however.


Jordan's mom

 

[tjmw2727]

We leave on 10/7 and I have not sent a note yet as the kids don't even know! With the hurricanes I may wait and surprise the kids at the last minute in case we have to cancel.

I am not to worried as they are both at the top of the class, and reading in the next grade level. We are also going over Columbus day when they have an extra 1 1/2 days off for teacher education. We get a week vacaction with only 2 1/2 day absence. I will wait another week to see the "tropical storm update" and then I may tell my girls as well as the teachers.

TJ

 

[RUDisney]

I'll be telling the teachers next Wednesday, during our meet the teachers night. We're new to this district and when I was reading the handbook, it says that no homework will be given prior to vacation. It's not like the teachers don't know what they'll be doing from week to week so the kids can take it with them. It's a good thing for them to do while Dad and I take a mid-afternoon break. Our kids just don't sit still, so having homework keeps them busy so we can take a nap.

Well, if they won't give us their homework in advance, I'll have to make up some of my own for them to do.

 

[mulanrouge]

As Stimpy quoted:

"It is totally unacceptable by our district but we're doing it and wanted to let her know that we are. She basically said she can't give us any work beforehand and the absences will be marked as "unexcused". (How the district can do that is beyond me but they can.) But I intend on reminding her about 2-3 weeks beforehand anyway."


We are running into the same thing (we are in Canada). Don't schools realize that it is not always within our control when we can take holidays? My husband and I are both self employed and both of our businesses rely on summer business (ie. I am a wedding planner, and it is next to impossible to go away in the summer). Which leaves us with Christmas, and Spring Break when costs pretty much are doubled in price for hotel, airfare etc. The schools have to realize that not everyone fits into the times they deem appropriate for holidays. Times are a changing, and I feel they should not tell us (the taxpayers) that they will not provide homework to our children when they are pulled out of school for vacation.

Rant! Rant!

 

[winniedapooh]

We leave on October 19th and I just finished the letter I am sending to school or emailing my kids teachers. We had a meet the teacher night the other day but it is so busy and the teachers really only want to say hello.....parent's night is not until 11/1 so Monday it is!

 

[2Disneybuggs]

I'm sending the note on Monday. At the parent teacher meeting we were told that vacations are okay and if we want work to do she will give it. I was surprised that it's going to be so easy! I didn't mention it then because it was the first day of school and I didn't want to bring up vacation already! I asked for work too. Thanks for the replies.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Originally posted by mulanrouge
As Stimpy quoted:

"It is totally unacceptable by our district but we're doing it and wanted to let her know that we are. She basically said she can't give us any work beforehand and the absences will be marked as "unexcused". (How the district can do that is beyond me but they can.) But I intend on reminding her about 2-3 weeks beforehand anyway."


We are running into the same thing (we are in Canada). Don't schools realize that it is not always within our control when we can take holidays? My husband and I are both self employed and both of our businesses rely on summer business (ie. I am a wedding planner, and it is next to impossible to go away in the summer). Which leaves us with Christmas, and Spring Break when costs pretty much are doubled in price for hotel, airfare etc. The schools have to realize that not everyone fits into the times they deem appropriate for holidays. Times are a changing, and I feel they should not tell us (the taxpayers) that they will not provide homework to our children when they are pulled out of school for vacation.

Rant! Rant!

Disney has great room discounts during Christmas and Spring Break.

My son's school has the same policy as Stimpy's district. You're free to take vacation during the school year, but you have to accept the consequences.

 

[MamaLema]

Last year, we took our kids out of school for 3 weeks. We never had a problem. They were sent homework and a journal to do while on vacation. I guess it depends on the school.

 

[LittleMissMickey]

Just one quick thought from a teacher!!!

I know it seems harsh that a district would have that policy, but a lot of times teachers have LOTS to think about. We don't always know which assignments we will need to cover because we need to see how the class grasps each topic! We do not say that we can't send homework home because we are being mean, but moreso because we don't know which homework will need to be sent. It takes a lot of time to get that stuff together, and you can imagine how many times we might have to do that if we were working on accomodating every child.

Perhaps you can just ask the teacher if there are some writing assignments that could be done or if they can work ahead in math or in a book that the class is reading.

I am not ranting, I just am trying to help you understand. I have given children homework when they have been going on vacation, but it doesn't always match up. Usually it is just fun stuff. We do our best for your kids, but remember that we have 20-some other kids to think about, too!

Thanks for the advance notice that you all are giving, though. Because that does help us think about it a lot.

Enjoy your vacation. Bring some books for the kids to read and maybe some math-type stuff. That should keep them in top notch condition until they get back to school.

They could even play math games on the plane on the way down and back to keep themselves entertained! Let me know if you need any ideas!

Ashley

 

[anita36]

I sent a note in a few weeks ago- and I also sent one last week to send hmework home and I am sending in another note tomorrow to remind the office.

Our school is not happy that she will be missing 9 days of school but guess what- I don't care if they are marked excused or unexcused.

this is when we take our vacation and that is all there is to it. we all don't have time of from June to August to go away and the way I see it we have as much right to go on vacation as those that can go in the summer months!!

 

[RUDisney]

Ashley, I'd love some of your suggestions for math games. They wouldn't be good for only on the plane, but could be fun for when we're driving in the car, even if it's just to eye therapy or the grocery store.

I understand where the school is coming from having such a policy, but still, even if it is a "might be covered" topic, I'd prefer to make copies of their math workbooks, etc so we don't have to take the whole book along. So what if my kids are ahead of the game? Hmm, I guess that's what I'll do. I'll offer the teachers the opportunity to give some homework and if they don't, I'll see where they're at the week before our trip and start making copies. That's a win/win situation.

Thanks for offering your perspective!

 

[LittleMissMickey]

Math Games...

Let me rack my brain...

Most can be modified for whatever age your children are at:

Math War - You only win if you can multiply/add the two cards correctly. If you get it wrong, your opponent has the chance to take it.

Multiplication/Addition Dice - Simply roll the dice and shout out hte right answer. You can pick up dice with more than six sides at most game stores (Games by James, etc. Wherever they sell board/card games like Magic, Yu-Gi-Oh!)

If you go to a teacher store, they have lots of math specific games.

There are more, but I'm drawing a blank.

There are games for other subjects, too.

One of my favorite new things is called "Making Big Words."

You take a big word, jumble up all the letters, then challenge the child to make as many words out of it as they can. The ultimate challenge is figuring out what the word was that the letters came from. This is great for word study, spelling, etc. and is helps with some of the testing that kids have to do (state/government tests).

You could make them Disney spelling lists, for a little fun challenge.

We played multiplication dominoes, but that doesn't seem quite feasible.

Even mind games like chess, Othello, and other games where kids need to strategize are good for keeping them sharp.

In the car you can add, subtract, multiply, divide license plates.
For example:
LPE-780
7x8=
780/__ (pick a new number to divide by every 10 minutes or something, this works well for estimation type stuff, too)=
7+8+0=
Two cars: LPE-780 and GMX-297
780-297=
780x297=
780+297=
297/78=

Or, think of a word that has those letters in it...
LPE-780
sLiPpEry
This helps with those same tests.

Am I getting confusing?

Get out to the store and get Tangoes if you don't have them yet. These are great learning tools for any age. You probably wouldn't mind playing htem, even. These can be found at those same stores as the dice. Tangoes is a game of Tangrams, where you have to make different shapes with the shapes that you have. They show you the shape and you have to figure it out. Very fun, very compact. A very good way to teach geometry.

Keeping a journal is a great idea! You could even let them keep a journal in a Disney Autograph book, then they will have everything all in one place, and something handy that htey can do while waiting in line or for parades! If you don't have an autograph book yet, they are SO easy to make! They usually have little books at Michael's or any craft store, or even at Target now. Then just get some Disney stickers and kind of scrapbook them on the cover and sporadically on the inside. This will probably turn out even cuter than the ones down there!

I'm sure I'll think of more ideas tomorrow in the classroom! Let me know if more ideas are needed!

Good luck!
Ashley

 

[LittleMissMickey]

I should add that if you need some of those words for Making Big Words, I have two whole books of them! I can help you out with that and make it very easy! They are a lot of fun, and challenging htem with one or two a day while you nap shouldn't be too bad.

Also, take some good books along for them.

If you need any recommendations, let me know age levels, and I'll mull it over. I love children's lit, so I can share some of that, too! I usually took a book for every day in the car (as a kid, when I didn't have to drive!), and two for while we were in Florida. It kept me VERY busy!

Ashley